The invention relates to a magazine for rod-shaped articles, in particular filter rods, in the tobacco-processing industry. The magazine comprises a storage unit or reservoir having at least one inlet for accepting at least one article that is supplied to the storage unit, as well as at least one outlet for discharging at least one article positioned in the storage unit. The invention furthermore comprises a machine for the tobacco-processing industry, used in particular for producing rod-shaped articles and especially cigarettes or filters.
In addition to filter rods, the term “rod-shaped articles in the tobacco-processing industry” is understood herein to mean, for example, cigarettes, cigarillos or cigars with and without filters, for which the invention equally can be used.
During the production or processing of rod-shaped articles in the tobacco-processing industry, these rod-shaped articles or parts thereof are conveyed via pneumatic conveyor pipelines from a production machine to a machine for further processing. Thus, the filter rods are transported via a conveyor pipeline to a storage magazine, for example one belonging to a filter-attachment machine.
German Patent 35 38 660 C2 discloses a storage magazine for a filter-attachment machine where the filter rods are conveyed with transverse positioned axes through a chute into a magazine. The filter rods are subsequently supplied from this magazine to the filter-attachment machine. This machine has the disadvantage that the filter rods are supplied counter to the force of the weight of the filter rods already present in the magazine since the filter rods must be pushed from the bottom into the magazine. The impact-sensitive filter rods that are supplied can be damaged or even crushed during the insertion into the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,984 discloses a tray that is filled via an opening in a filling device. During the filling of the tray, the filter rods are filled into an expanding, flexible belt that encloses the filter rods inside the tray. One end of the belt is attached to the opening and the other end is wound around a drum. To remove the filter rods from the tray, the tray is guided to a removal station in which the filter rods are emptied out through the same opening used for filling in the rods. In the process, the belt enclosing the filter rods inside the tray is wound up again.